After picking your lot, and choosing the builder

Try to write everything down that is said during initial conversations with the builder. There are a lot of questions you ask that they may or may not answer the way you want, but make sure you capture those conversations.

Take pictures and notes of all of the houses that you walk through when looking at craftsmenship, and home designs, it will help when trying to remember how things were done, how big rooms were, and what you liked. Maybe even take some measurements.

Talk to people in the neighborhood about the builder to make sure they liked them and their process, and why they chose them over other builders. How much did they go over on their allowances, what issues did they run into? Anything they will offer up, take it.